Egg crate



April 29, 1941. K. K. NEwsoM "2,239,733,

EGG CRATE Filed Jan. 8. 1937 2 sheets-sheet April 29, 1941. K. K. NEwsoM EGG CRATE Filed Jan. 8. 1937 2 (Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements inv cartons, packing cases or crates, and refers particularly to cartons, packing cases or crates constructed of corrugated fibrous board which are especially resistant to moisture.

Corrugated fibrous board used for the manu` facture of certain types of cartons, packing cases, containers cr crates usually comprise a ller or corrugated layer or layers, lined on the outer 'faces by sheets of paper.

paper and although it is not waterproof it is exceedingly water resistant. The corrugated fillers, however, are usually constructed of a relatively bulky absorbent stock such as strawv1 5 board or the like which is highly permeable with respect to moisture.

Containers constructed of this type board are very frequently used in extremely moist atmospheres, and although the liners serve to some.; 20

extent to prevent the passage of the moisture through the board, the corrugations very quickly become soggy and limp due to the fact that the moisture enters the interior of the board through the edges thereof, particularly those edges at;

rightangles to the llength of the corrugations. Of course, when the corrugatons thus become limp, the board as a whole loses much of its structural strength and collapses in service.

Such a condition is particularly acute in thegf One of the important features of my inventionfji0 resides in an egg carton, crate or container construction comprising corrugated board wherein the corrugations are protected or sealed from the inuences of the atmosphere.

Another feature of my invention resides in the-I use of the protecting seal as a container wall spacing element which affords greater protection to the eggs from impacts which the container may receive.

Other objects and advantages of my inventionw will be `apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

In the drawings, Fig. lis a perspective view of an egg carton constructed of corrugated fibrous board. 5

'I'he paper lining lo employed is usually of a dense, tough variety of However, when the eggs are main-35 Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of one of the folding seals.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of folding seal.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I indicates a fibrous crate for the packing of eggs. The crate I is constructed in two sections, an upper or outer section 2 and a lower or inner section 3. The upper or outer section 2 originally comprises a blank of brous corrugated board suitably cut and scored to provide outer side walls 4 and 5 and outer end walls 6 and 'I of the container, the various walls being joined at the scored corners 8. The blank is scored yalong the upper longitudinal edges defining the walls 2 and 3 to provide hingedly connected longitudinal flaps 9 which are adapted, in use, to be folded toward each other.

The lower or inner section 3 is likewise constructed from a blank corrugated brous board suitably out and scored to provide inner side walls Il) and Il, and inner end walls I2 and I3, the various walls being joined at scored corners as indicated at I4 in Fig. 5. The lower edges of the side walls I0 and Il are scored to provide longitudinal flaps I5 which, in use, are folded toward each other. The flaps I5 overlap at their outer edges and are stapled or otherwise secured together as indicated at I6 in Fig. 2.

The end walls 6 and 'I of the upper or outer section 2 are joined by scoring to end aps I1 which, in use, yare confined beneath the side flaps 9. The end walls I2 and I3 of the inner .or lower section 3 terminate in end flaps I8 which, as will be hereinafter described, overlap the side flaps vI5 and are stapled or otherwise secured thereto, as indicated at I9 in Fig. 3.

In use the side flaps I5 and end flaps I8 stapled thereto form the bottom of the crate I, and the upper or outer section is adapted to telescopically engage the walls of lower section 3, the side aps 9 serving as the top of the crate. In packing the crate, eggs, 30 dozen being standard for a crate, are packed in the lower or inner section 3, the eggs being carried by suitable fillers and flats (not shown). When the lower section has been filled, the outer section 2 is telescopically slid over the lower section, the flaps II .and 9 4folded inwardly andthe latter flaps secured together by means of an adhesive strip 20. The crate is then in condition for handling, shipping and storing.

The blanks comprising both the sections 2 and 3 are so out, scored and folded with respect to the utes or corrugations of the board that the length of the corrugations of the walls and ends of the sections run vertically, and the length of the corrugations of the naps, both end and side, run at right angles to the lines of juncture of the flaps with the respective ends and sides. Heretofore, in forming cartons, crates or other containers from corrugated board, the cut edges of the blanks were left open, permitting ingress of moisture laden air between the fibrous liners of the boards. The moisture soon rendered the absorbent corrugations limp thereby diminishing the strength of the board.

As a feature of my invention, the lower defining edges of the walls 4, 5, 6 and 1 are folded inwardly, as indicated at 2| in Figs. 2 and 3, and the inwardly folded portions are stapled or otherwise secured to the inner surfaces of the walls. As has been hereinbefore described, the flutes or corrugations run vertically in the walls and consequently the folding thereof at 2| seals the wall corrugations and prevents the ingress of moisture laden air through the bottom edges of the walls.

Similarly the upper defining edges of the inner walls I0, I2 and I3 are folded inwardly and are stapled or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the walls as indicated at 22 in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Thus the upper edges of said inner walls are sealed. It will be seen, by reference to Fig. 4, that each corrugation 23 runs transversely to the line of fold 24 and that the spaces between adjacentflutes are effectively sealed. In like manner the edges of the flaps 9 are sealed by the reverse folds 25 and the end aps I1 are sealed by the reverse folds 26.

The end flaps I8 of the lower or inner section 3 are also folded as at 21 thereby providing a seal for the flutes of walls I2 and I3. In addition said folded portions, being at the bottom of the crate, serve as cushions therefor or spacers for spacing the side flaps I comprising the bottom from a plane support for the crate. The terminal edges of the side flaps I5 are also reverse folded as indicated at 21', to seal the flutes or corrugations of the flaps I5.

As another feature of my invention, it will be noted that by the provision of the folds 2| the wall 4 is spaced from the wall I0, the wall 5 from the wall II, the wall 6 from the wall l2, and the wall 1 from the wall I3. When fragile articles, such as eggs, are carried in the crate I, particularly when said eggs are packed as closley together and as close to the walls of the container as is the practice, impacts with the walls of the crate may tend to damage the eggs. However, bythe provision of the space 2B together with the folded member 2|, an air cushion is formed since the folded member 2| serves as a seal for the air space 28 at its lower end, and although the crate gated walls, naps, etc., that is, those edges at right angles to the length of the corrugations, comprise extensions of the liners. Referring, by reference numerals to Fig. 6, 29 is intended to indicate any one of said terminal edges, viz., the lower edges of the walls 4, 5, 6 and 1, the upper edges of the walls I0, I2 and I3, and the edges of the flaps 9, I5, I1 and I8. In this form of my invention the corrugations stop short of the actual edges in question but the liners 3| extend beyond the corrugation ends. The extending portions of the liners are reverse folded and secured to the face of the board by means of staples, adhesive or other suitable means. Obviously, the folded liners, the liners having water resistant characteristics, seal the ends of the corrugations against the ingress of moisture laden air.

In view of the fact that crates I, when shipped or stored, are stacked one on top of the other, it is essential that the side and end walls of the crate be exceedingly strong and that strength is preserved under all conditions. Hence, it is essential that the wall flutes be sealed from moisture laden air. Accordingly, if desired, only the reverse folds 2| and 22 may be provided which directly seals the Wall flutes, or, if an exceedingly economical construction is desired, only the folds 2| may be utilized inasmuch as the upper edges of the inner section walls are within the crates they will, to a degree, be protected from excessive moisture.

I claim as my invention:

1. A crate comprising two sections constructed of fibrous board, one of said sections comprising side walls and a bottom, and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted to embrace the first mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side Walls of each section disposed adjacent each other, the bottom portions of the side walls of said embracing section being reverse folded to planes adjacent the inner faces of said walls, means for securing said folded side walls to the inner faces of said side walls, said folded portions serving as spacers for spacing the side walls of the embracing section from the side walls of the embraced section.

2. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated board, one of said sections comprising side walls and a bottom, and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted to embrace the rst mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side walls of each section disposed adjacent each other, the length of the corrugations of the walls of said embracing section being at right-angles to the top, the bottom portion of the walls of said embracing section being reverse folded to seal the lower ends of said corrugations, and means for securing said reverse folded portions to the faces of said walls.

scopic manner with the respective side walls of v each section disposed adjacent each other, the length of the corrugations of the walls of said embracing section being at right-angles to the top, the bottom portion of thewalls of said embracing section being reverse folded to said lower ends of said corrugations, and means for securing said reverse folded portions to the inner faces of said Walls.

4. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated brous board, one of said sections comprising side Walls and a bottom, and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted to embrace the rst mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side walls of each section disposed adjacent each other, the length of the corrugations of the walls of said sections being disposed respectively at right-angles to said bottom and top, the bottom portion of the walls of said embracing section and the top portion of the walls of said embraced section being reverse folded to seal the ends of said respective corrugations, and means for securing said portions in folded position.

5. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated fibrous board, one of said sections comprising side walls and a bottom, and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted to embrace the first mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side walls of each section disposed adjacent each other, the length of the corrugations of said embracing section being disposed at right angles to said top,

-the bottom portions of the side walls of the embracing section being reverse folded to planes adjacent the inner faces of said walls to seal the ends of said corrugations, means for securing said folded portions to the inner faces of said side walls, said folded portions serving as spacers for to seal the ends of the corrugations, and means n for securing the folded edges in folded position.

7. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated fibrous board, one of said sections comprising side walls, end walls and a top, another of said sections comprising side walls, end Walls, side iiaps and en-d flaps, said side flaps being joined to form a bottom and said end iiaps being folded outside said side iiaps, said sections being telescopically engaged to form a completely closed crate with respective side walls and end walls disposed adjacent each other, the corrugations of said second mentioned section running vertically in said side and end walls and inwardly in said side and end flaps toward the vertical centerline of the crate, said end flaps being reverse folded to seal the ends of the corrugations in said end iiaps and form spacers for saidl side flaps when said crate rests upon a plane surface.

8. A crate consisting of corrugated fibrous -board of the type having a fibrous corrugated member enclosed between opposite b-rous liners, said corrugated board being cut, scored and folded into crate or box form all of the exposed edges of the corrugated member at right angles to the length of the corrugations being cut short of the conining fibrous liners, said liners being folded over said cut edges of the `corrugated member and secured in folded position to seal the corrugations from the ingress of moisture laden air.

KITCHENER Kf NEWSOM., 

